2024 Simcoe area of Ontario Pea U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Pea U-Pick Orchards in Simcoe area of Ontario in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for peas that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a province or region have peas farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Simcoe (Barrie, Bradford West, Innisfil, Midland, New Tecumseth, Orilli, Pentanguishene, Tay, Wasaga Beach)

• Barrie Hill Farms - beans, blueberries, peas, raspberries, strawberries
  2935 Barrie Hill Road, RR#2, Barrie, ON L4M 4S4. Phone: (705) 728-0571. Email: info@barriehillfarms.com. Open: June, July, August, September. Click here for a map and directions. Fax: (705) 739-3549 . We are open The fruit stand: Monday to Friday from 8 am-8 pm; Sat 8 am to 5 pm; Sunday from 8 am to 8 pm. Pick your own fields: 8 am to 4 pm Saturday, Sunday & Holidays (Last wagon to the field leaves at 4pm) 8 am to 8 pm on Monday to Friday (Last wagon to the field leaves at 8pm) Crop report line (705)728-0571 6th Annual Blueberry Pancake Festival Saturday and Sunday near the end of July from 8 am to 3 pm both days .
• Ego's Farm Market and Greenhouses - pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, peas, tomatoes
  596 Horseshoe Valley Rd., E., Coldwater, ON L0K 1E0. Phone: 705-326-9922. Open: daily from 9 am to 6 pm; strawberries 8 am to 8 pm. Directions: Located in the heart of Oro-Medonte Township on Horseshoe Valley Road, fifteen minutes drive from Orillia, and about 20 minutes from Barrie. Click here for a map and directions. We are . 8 km west of Hwy 12 and 18 km east of Hwy 400. We also have fresh picked beans, peas, pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes. Farm market June to October, featuring farm fresh produce in season, such as fresh-picked sweet corn, strawberries, tomatoes, pumpkins and much more! We also welcome you to our farm to pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, peas and tomatoes as well. Follow the Twitter feed on the Pick-Your-Own page for updates.
• R Family Farm - beans, blackberries, corn (sweet), peas, raspberries (red), strawberries, Honey from hives on the farm, U-pick and already picked, farm market, porta-potties are available
  3560 3rd Line, Cookstown, ON L0L 1L0. Phone: (705) 812-2373. Email: contactus@rfamilyfarm.ca. Open: Please see our website or call for current hours. Directions: In Innisfil - On the 3rd Line, east of side road 5 \(County Road 53\), between highway 89 and Innisfil Beach Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards. In Innisfil - On the 3rd Line, east of side road 5 (County Road 53), between highway 89 and Innisfil Beach RoadStrawberries: Mid June to Mid July, Raspberries: July, Sweet Corn: August to September, Blackberries: SeptemberContainers available for purchase or you can bring your own. Please no smoking or pets.

 

Pea

Pea Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Peas (English, Snap peas, Snow Peas, Crowder Peas, etc.) are very easy to grow.  They thrive even in poor soil. In fact, as a legume, pea plants are able to take nitrogen from the air and fix it in nodules in their roots with bacteria to enrich the soil. Whether you grow them yourself or pick them at a PYO farm, or buy them at the market, they're available fresh almost everywhere.

Here's what to look for!

English peas

Pick English Peas when the pod is full and green and the peas are still tender and sweet. Test for maturity frequently by picking a couple of pods and examining them for firmness. Harvest the Chinese and snow peas, which are eaten pod and all, when the pods are 1-1/2 to 2 inches long and the peas are about the size of BB's. The pods are usually picked 5 to 7 days after flowering.

 

Snap Peas - aka, edible-podded peas

Similar to English peas, except the pod itself is also sweet and tender, like the peas inside.

Snow peas, aka Chinese peas

Like snap peas, the pod is edible, except you want to pick them while they are still flat, before the pod starts to swell with peas inside. Harvest Chinese and snow peas, which are eaten pod and all, when the pods are 1-1/2 to 2 inches long and the peas are about the size of BB's.

Specialty Peas

There are many varieties, like purple hulled peas, crowder peas, black-eyed- peas. Each has their followers!

 

When are peas available?

Peas are a cool, even cold weather crop, and can tolerate frost and cold soil. In the U.S. Peas typically peak during February (in the Deep South) through October in the North. Peak season is February through June before the weather gets hot.  Some farms plant a Fall crop too, as they only take 45 to 60 days from the time the seed is planted!

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - it's hard to pick in a muddy field!
2. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for Peas, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers.
3. Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem while the weather is still cool, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.

General Picking Tips

Whether you pick Peas from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Look for Peas that are :

1. firm
2. Bright green (not yellowish!)
3. smooth, shiny pods, not wrinkly on the surface - that's an old or dried out pea.
4. The Peas in the photo at right are, from left:
   - old and yellowing,
   - overripe and lumpy; and
   - dried out and damaged.
5. Avoid placing the picked Peas in the sunlight any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. I prefer to bring a cooler with ice in it. Peas may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days
6. It is best to shell English peas and either freeze them or use them promptly.

When you get home

1. Put them in the vegetable crisper in the fridge, in a loose plastic bag.
2. Now, get ready to can or freeze the extra Peas - It is VERY easy! Click on the links for easy instructions.
   • How to can Peas
   • How to freeze English peas, Crowder peas and other shelled peas
   • How to freeze snap peas and snow peas
3. Pea shellers - simple inexpensive devices to quickly shell English peas
    

1. 
2. The Peas in the photo at right are, from left:
   - old and yellowing,
   - overripe and lumpy; and
   - dried out and damaged.
3. Avoid placing the picked Peas in the sunlight any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. I prefer to bring a cooler with ice in it. Peas may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days
4. It is best to shell English peas and either freeze them or use them promptly.

When you get home

1. Put them in the vegetable crisper in the fridge, in a loose plastic bag.
2. Now, get ready to can or freeze the extra Peas - It is VERY easy! Click on the links for easy instructions.
   • How to can Peas
   • How to freeze English peas, Crowder peas and other shelled peas
   • How to freeze snap peas and snow peas
3. Pea shellers - simple inexpensive devices to quickly shell English peas
    

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Children"s consignment sales
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed & Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers